Brighter
by LePipi
Summary: Castiel found his first crush in the school's librarian, mister Ackles. Dean found his first crush in his 4th grade teacher Mister Collins. Their crushes will make them meet their first love. Destiel with a tiny bit of Cockles. Complete AU
1. Chapter 1

Brighter

Castiel at his 11 years of age had his very first crush.

Mister Ackles, the librarian of his middle school was the apple of his eye. Every day after classes were over he would stay at least an hour extra in the school's library.

He met mister Ackles for the first time when he was ( to his embarrassment ) crying, because he was waiting for his mom to show up for 15 minutes when she didn't. He held a very close bond to his mother, hence he never knew his father, never met him, and when she didn't show up, he thought she'd abandoned him too. She told him she was starting her first of her new job, and he made sense as that was her way of telling him she is leaving for good.

He was sobbing violently when he felt a hand shake his shoulder. He stopped his bawling and blinked up at the crouched man's face. He took in his green, green eyes and saw them filled with concern and kindness. The man's smile was beautiful, his lips pink, looking tentative. He noticed the man had dimples, which he immediately found he liked. He had short, strawberry blond hair, that looked shiny and slicked with something he couldn't recognize. He thought he looked very pretty, akin to some of the glittery drawings the girls in his class did.

After recognizes he liked this man, he immediately blushed and started sobbing again, but for another reason. The reason being that he made a fool of himself crying for his mommy, when he was supposed to be a big boy.

"No, no, please, don't cry, just, tell me what's wrong, did someone do something to you?" –The man's voice was stressed, sounding very concerned, spoken very soft.

This made Castiel cry even harder, because such a beautiful being could be made to feel concerned by such a big baby like him.

"Please, please stop, just try and talk, please." –The man hurriedly spoke, soothing a hand over Castiel's back.

Castiel finally stopped bawling, as the hand on his back, brought much, much needed comfort. He hiccupped through the last of his sobs and turned his way to the man's face.

The man smiled emphatically, still keeping his hand rubbing on Castiel's back.

"See? You're good, you're calm. Now, tell me what's wrong?" –He said very softly almost whispering, as if he would scare off Castiel.

"I-I-'hitch'-I-I wa-was waiting for my m-m-mmom, but she-sheee didn't show u-up." –Which resulted in a series of loud sobs and ended up in a stream of tears. The man tried shushing him down, rubbing insistently on his back, speaking sweet nothings, anything to calm the little sobbing boy down.

Seeing as all efforts were fruitless, he decided that desperate times call for desperate measures. He circled his arms strongly around the shaking shoulders of the boy, and enveloped him close to his chest.

Castiel's lungs hitched in surprise, drowning his sobs, to low hiccups. He turned his red eyes sideways to see the man's face perched on his shoulder, and the man smiled insecurely at the boy.

"If I let you go, will you promise to stop crying?" –The man voiced with a playful tone, and Castiel managed to nod, confused and embarrassed as hell.

The man let go of his small form, and sat on the stairs in front of the parking lot besides the boy.

The man sighed in a tired manner and ran a hand over his face. Castiel twitched with every hitch of breath as he tried to calm himself down, but never taking his eyes off the man's form.

"What's your name?" –The man finally said, as he turned his eyes to him, a small cautious smile on his lips.

"C-Castiel." –Castiel managed to stutter out.

"Well, Castiel, my name is Jensen Ackles, and I'm the librarian here. I would appreciate it, if you would come to the library with me, where we'll wait for your mom to show up, okay?" –Jensen said with a very calm, leveled voice.

"But, but what if she doesn't show up? What if she leaves me, like dad left me?" –Castiel asked his fear noticeable in his voice. Jensen was taken by surprise at the revelation the boy made, and felt his heart pang with guilt and sympathy.

"I'm sure she just got hold off at work. Grownups do that sometimes. She would never leave you. I'm sure. Now." –Jensen said as he stood up from his place on the stairs. "Take my hand, and we'll go in the library to wait for mom." –He said with confidence, and Castiel was taken by his security and took his big hand in his smaller one, raising himself from the steps.

"But first we'll have to get you cleaned up. Wouldn't want mom to see her son crying right?"

-/-

Dean experienced his first crush at the age of 9, to the one and only (in his mind) mister Collins.

He first met mister Collins at the start of 4th grade, on not so great conditions.

At the first day of school, they were giving out free book sets for the students in the main hall. The hall was crowded with kids and everyone was pushing someone, yelling, screaming, or laughing. Dean didn't really feel well in big crowds, they made him feel like suffocating, which reminded him of the heat in the fire his mother had died.

He tried to push away all those thoughts as he heard his name being called and he obligingly went to get his set. Grudgingly he pushed his way through the mass of kids, eager to get away and finally- breathe.

Just as he thought he was almost out, a boy he must have pushed through his way, pushed him to the ground, as he fell down. He opened his eyes with an 'ow', and pushed himself up on his skinny arms, and looked around himself to see his books scattered on the ground, a mean looking boy looming over him.

"Hey! Why'd you push me!" –He yelled at the boy who squinted his eyes, making him look cruel.

"You pushed me first!" –The boy shouted back at him, making a few kids of the crowd turn their small heads towards them.

"I didn't mean to, you ass!" –Dean threw back as he finally straightened himself up from the ground and made his way to gather his books. And just as he thought he'd had them all, a foot kicked his crouched form, making splay his form on the ground again, his books thumping to the ground.

"Just like you didn't mean to kill your mom!" –The boy snarled cruelly, laughing at him.

Dean felt his heart thump with anger and adrenaline, his eyes widening in horror. He lunged himself at the boy, making him fall, for a change, and straddled the boy, as he threw punch after punch at the boys scared face. He couldn't see anything, couldn't see the splatters of blood on the boys, couldn't hear the scared shrieks from the other children, couldn't hear himself spit out curse words he didn't know he knew.

He could only feel. And he felt his fists his under the strong bone of the boy's face, could feel his knuckles crack, could feel his blood boiling, could feel hurt, could feel tears sliding down his cheeks, could feel his breath leaving his lungs in gasps, could feel his own voice thrumming through his throat.

Suddenly he felt a foreign touch on his shoulders yanking him away from the boy, and he could finally see the disappearing form of the boy, and the appalled look some teachers gave him, the frightened look on the children's faces, he could see his own legs kicking in mid air, and finally he heard himself yelling "Let me go! Let me go!"

He felt himself being pulled into a room, and flopped down on a plastic seat. He didn't open his eyes, didn't want to. Because he knew if he did, tears will stream down his face, and the principal, or whoever he was taken to would start yelling and screaming at him, not listening to reason.

"Hey..."- Instead he heard a very soft, low voice, and felt a soft brush of hand up his left arm.

Dean still didn't open his eyes, stubbornly keeping them closed, not letting himself be fooled by the soft voice. He knew once he opened them he would see an old man in a suit, with white hair and an ugly mustache, looking at him disapprovingly.

"Why wont you open your eyes? Am I that ugly to look at?" –The man said with amusement. Dean's lip quivered with another surge of tears, at the man's soft voice.

"Yes!" –He said stubbornly, not willing to succumb to this man's game.

"But you haven't even seen me yet." –The man voiced with a chuckle. "You can give me peek, I don't bite." –The man said softly again almost challenging him.

Dean felt himself unable to withhold his tears and began sobbing violently, covering his face with his small hands so that the man can't see him cry.

"Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay, nobody's gonna hurt you here."-The man mumbled soothingly, rubbing a hand insistently up his left arm. Dean felt himself calm instantly, deciding to trust this man as he lowered his hands from his face.

And just as he did, he felt the man's hand wrapped around his sleeve wash away his tears and snot. Squinting his eyes in protest, the man released his face and he finally got to see a look at him. He felt breathless as he took in the not-at-all-ugly man's face.

He had very blue, very deep eyes, scruffy cheeks, a stylish disarray of hair, and plum, chapped lips. Dean felt himself blush as he remembered he'd called this man ugly.

"You're not ugly." –Dean blurted out, before he could rethink his words, blushing wildly.

The man seemed to be taken aback, but then he laughed whole-heartedly, revealing a gummy, bright smile.

"Well, thank you, I was worried there, for a second."- And he chuckled again, with which Dean tentatively smiled, forgetting for a moment the whole situation that got him there. But he was soon reminded.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Dean Winchester."

"Well, Dean, I'm Misha Collins, and I'll be your teacher for this year." –The man said with a smile, and Dean found himself surprised that he will be having classes daily with this man.

"Now, Dean, can you please tell me, what got you in that fight, the boy?" –Mister Collins said in a more serious and gravely tone.

Dean returned his gaze to his fiddling hands, gulping for air as he tried to pick up the courage to explain.

"Anytime you're ready..." –Mister Collins said softly again, which gave Dean the courage to speak.

"He-He said it's my fault mom died..." –Dean voiced quietly, feeling his breath hitch again in preparation for another set of tears.

The man's form seemed to go stoic still, from what Dean could see, and he chanced himself a glance up to see the man's horror struck face. He felt a sob shudder his whole body, and his shoulders started trembling as tears streamed down his freckled cheeks.

"No, no, it's not your fault, not your fault, that boy should have never had said that, please, stop crying, please, please..." –The man seemed to blabber, as he threw his arms around Dean and held strongly onto his trembling form, smoothing his hands over the boy's back.

Dean clung his hands to the man's shoulders as he couldn't help resist the security and understanding he found there.

**So yes, I'm feeling inspired again! Also last night's episode broke my heart in so many pieces I didn't think it could go after Castiel's death. I would prefer it never happened. ( not that it was a bad episode, just it was so good it drew me to tears ( again ) ).**

**What did you think of it?**

**This will have another chapter in which Dean and Cas meet, with a little bit of a surprise. ;) **

**Also I don't really ship cockles, because these are real men, with real lives, so I will keep this strongly in fiction. Although you do get to see Misha and Jensen together. **

**Reviews are highly appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

After their first encounters with their crushes the boys made sure to spend a lot of time by their side.

It turned out Castiel's mother was late because her new job entitled her to work from 8 to 5 o'clock instead of from 7 to 4 o'clock as it was previously.

Castiel didn't mind this though. Although he did mind that Mr. Ackles had to meet his mom that day. He had a special relationship with mom and another with Mr. Ackles and he liked to keep them separate. But him mom explained that her new job came with a new schedule so he was happy that they came to an agreement that Castiel was to stay that extra hour in the library under the watchful eye of the librarian.

He didn't mind it at all.

After Dean's first encounter with Mr. Collins he became very connected with the man.

Mr. Collins not only did scold that other kid but made him apologize to him. Although he too had to apologize for beating him, but it was worth it to see that smile on his teacher's face, or so he concluded.

As the school day's past Dean made sure to spend the lunch break my Mr. Collin's side, in his office where he was always given candy, but he had to write his homework, which was the condition Mr. Collins set if he were to spend his time beside him. Dean didn't feel too eager about it at first, but once he put things into perspective, yeah, it was worth it.

It's not to say that the men didn't notice this.

"Mish!" –Jensen exclaimed in an excited manner, relieved to have finally found his husband in the school. Castiel was always reluctant to be left alone, who he not so subtly showed. Whenever Jensen made a trip to the bathroom, or to get coffee, Castiel's head would snap up in an instant a worried look stressing his childish features.

Jensen though didn't mind as he thought he would. The boy looked so small and fragile, he felt a need to cater to him. He reminded him a little bit of Misha, probably why he had a soft spot for the boy.

Although in times like this, when he could hardly see Misha, he felt a bit unnerved. The main peak in working in the same place as your loved one is stolen kisses on the hallways, cheeky smiles from across the room, occasional drop to the office.

Funny how plans always get messed up somehow.

"Jen!"- Misha exclaimed equally excited as he made a stride towards his husband. He hardly found the time to leave the office with Dean there.

He liked the kid, he really did. Reminded him a bit of Jensen, but more in a pouty, energetic version of him. Still, Dean was a good kid. He was just lost, childhood trauma can do that. So he made it his job to make that boy smile, and if staying in his office and writing homework ( which he noted was very productive ) was gonna do that, then so be it.

But he missed his Jensen. He really did. This was one of the rare occasions when he actually got to see him in the school grounds.

As he made his way to him, he hugged him tightly, feeling the other man's arms wrap around him.

"Where've you been? You said you'd come at lunch?" –Jensen said softly as he broke the hug, but still kept his hands in Misha's own. Now he didn't want to sound like the whiny kids they dealt with here, but come on, a promise is a promise.

"The kids are getting to you aren't they?" –Misha responded with a chuckle, mocking Jensen's remark. Nothing got past Misha.

"Misha."- Jensen deadpanned in his 'don't bullshit me and answer goddammit!' face.

"I know I said I'll come but the kid, he just wanted to talk, man, I couldn't bail on him."- Misha explained with his puppy dog eyes set.

"You're too kind Mish." –Jensen smiled at Misha's words. He remembers the boy, Dean. He pulled a fight while he was handing out books. And just as he'd made his way through the crowd to pull it apart, Misha stepped in and carried the boy away.

Later, as Jensen took the other boy to the nurse's office to get cleaned up and checked, Misha stepped in looking absolutely pissed. Jensen had seen that look on Misha's face twice in his partnership with him. Once when they were at a diner and some assholes made a remark on their sexuality, and the second time when he got canned from his previous job in a bookstore. So immediately he knew something was deeply wrong.

He then proceeded to scold the boy, with a rare fury, even shaking a finger at the boy's face.

He came to understand the reason behind the fight, and even though he too felt like scolding the boy, it was time to be the mother hen, and steady Misha, calm him before they lose this job too.

He never really came to meet Dean, but he felt a sort of fondness for the boy. And if Misha liked him then there was no concern in his mind.

"Say's the guy who spends an extra hour at work to wait for a boy's mommy." –Misha replied mockingly with good humor, to which Jensen blushed but chuckled none the less.

"I don't mind it..." –Jensen trailed of, stepping up to defend Castiel. He couldn't help but grow fond of the owlish boy.

"I mind not being able to see you." –Misha spoke in the same manner, hushed words, as he took Jensen's hands in his own, smoothed his fingers over the knuckles.

"Same here..."- Jensen sighed as he took in the comfort his husband offered.

"Wait, I got it!"- Misha surprised Jensen with the sudden exclamation.

"Got what?"- He asked cautiously, because no matter how much he loved this man, he had the most terrible, frightening, daring ideas. Who were also genius, but put the accent on the former.

"How we can spend time with each other!" –Misha responded in that overly excited voice of his, almost glowing with glee, which really shouldn't look cute on a grown man.

"Ok, I'll bite. What's the plan?"

-/-

Dean was feeling a little bit sour to be made to leave the office, but still his hand was clutched in the rough hand of Mr. Collins so he couldn't really let himself feel anything but glee. Mr. Collins said he wanted him to meet someone special. So, naturally he agreed, if anyone was special to Mr. Collins he must be amazing!

They walked through the hallways and made their way to the library. Dean's never really been to the library. He liked stories, he did, he just didn't like reading them himself. It felt bothersome, he felt it was much more enthralling when someone else's voice sounding the words.

He looked questionably at Mr. Collins , who just gave him a reassuring smile.

Just as they stepped inside, by the counter in the far corner sat another man. Dean saw him to have a kind of dirty blond hair, noted that he appeared to be bigger than Mr. Collins. The man's head snapped up as the door closed behind them, and a teeth baring smile immediately settled on his face, waving them over enthusiastically.

"That's Mr. Ackles, the librarian. He is the person I was talking about. " –Mr. Collins bent down to Dean's level, and explained in a quiet manner, as there were already some students there reading in quiet.

Dean nodded in understanding, and felt a sudden wave of bashfulness wash over him. If he was special to Mr. Collins then he would have to be really amazing, and he himself, didn't think he was very special. It was intimidating to meet this special man.

"No need to be scared. He's just a loony like me." –Mr. Collins said with a chuckle, and Dean found himself blurting out a giggle, at the statement. He quickly slapped a hand to his mouth remembering to be quiet.

"It's ok. Come on." –Mr. Collins prompted him, and they made their way to Mr. Ackles, who awaited them with a blinding smile.

"So is this the famous Dean Winchester?" –Mr. Ackles crouched down to Dean's level looking welcoming, as Dean noted. He somehow felt a strange bond with this man, noting the freckles that also spotted his cheeks, connecting them to his own.

Dean only nodded, filled with directionless embarrassment.

"Well, I'm Mr. Ackles and I'm the librarian here." –Mr. Ackles said and offered his hand to Dean who eyed it for a moment, remembering his hand was still clutched in Mr. Collins's. He decided to take a leap of fate, and left the reassuring warmness of his teacher's hand and grasped the offered hand. Mr. Ackles shook it with confidence, which Dean noted was how his father taught him to greet people.

"Now, Dean, you see that boy over there?" –Mr. Ackles said, as he pointed to the opposite wall of the room, where a boy had his head slumped in front of a book.

Dean nodded back at the other man, still, feeling too shy to use his voice.

"Well, he's a good buddy of mine, and I think you'd make great friends." –He said with a smile, to which Dean turned back to Mr. Collins seeking his reassurance.

"It's ok. Go meet him. I'll be right here." –Mr. Collins said with a smile and Dean smiled back, getting back the approval he sought, deciding to go meet this particular boy.

Making his way down the tables, he felt a little bit apprehensive. He didn't know this boy, he might turn out to be an ass. But if Mr. Collins said go, and Mr. Ackles is a special person to him, then they have to be right. Right?

He made to stand beside the table, but the boy still didn't leave his book.

Dean decided to try catching his attention, dropping an M&M's bag on the table, the continents landing with a ring.

The boy raised his head at this, a bit startlingly fast, and Dean finally got to see this boy.

But Dean didn't expect his reaction. He felt his chest tighten for a moment, then release as if there was a momentarily stop.

The boy had very soft features, his cheeks were puffy, his lips were pink, plush and parted, his eyes were unusually bright, blue as sky, and his hair was a big disarray, akin to a crow's nest.

He immediately thought this boy to be very pretty, prettier than all the girls in his class.

"Can I help you?" –The boy spoke for the first time, and Dean thought his voice to be very peculiar. His choice of words was also strange. Too polite for a little boy, he thought.

"I, um, I have M&M's. If you wanna share?" –Dean spoke cautiously afraid to scare off the boy with big, unblinking, blue eyes.

"Sharing is good." – The boy said as he scooted his chair to the side, making place for Dean to pull out his own, to sit beside each other.

**So I was writing the last chapter of Immigrant Punk, and just as I was writing the smutty part the ending song to Adventure Time came on my shuffle. So needless to say I was in a big, big mood to write little kiddies being happy, so here you have it.**

**I thought this to be the last chapter, but I just caught up completely in the story, so one more and we're done. :D **

**Reviews are appreciated!**


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